Harvesting header with mulching equipment

Abstract

Harvesting attachment (20) comprising a central part (44) and two side parts (48) which are movable by external power between a horizontal operating position and a raised transport position, as well as mulching devices (60) which are mounted below the central part (44) and the side parts (48) for shredding and / or defibrating the plant stumps remaining in the field after harvesting and which are guided vertically over the ground during harvesting, wherein the mulching devices (60) are coupled to the side parts (48) in such a way that, when the side parts (48) are pivoted into the transport position, they reach a compact position pulled towards the harvesting attachment (20), for which purpose the mulching devices (60) are coupled by flexible traction means (70) to the respective adjacent side part (48) or central part (44) or to the respective adjacent mulching device (60).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a harvesting header with mulching devices attached thereto. Technological background

[0002] In many cases, mulching devices are installed beneath maize harvesting headers to shred and / or shred plant stumps remaining in the field after harvesting, either to protect the tires of vehicles driving on the field, to improve the decomposition of plant residues, or to destroy the overwintering habitat of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis).

[0003] DE 35 15 295 A1 shows a corn header with such a mulching device, which carries blades mounted on a drivable, horizontal shaft. The shaft is arranged within a housing, which is pivotally mounted on the front of the corn header frame about an axis parallel to the shaft and is supported on the ground by skids. The downward pivoting movement of the housing relative to the corn header is limited by a chain attached to the rear of the housing and the corn header.

[0004] DE 10 2004 020 447 A1 shows a header for harvesting whole corn plants. A mulcher with rotating blades is attached to the underside of the header. The mulcher is height-adjustable by parallelogram links and rests on skids on the ground. The mulcher's vertical range of motion is limited at the top and bottom by a bracket with a slotted hole. During road transport, the mulcher is transferred from a ground-level working position to a raised transport position in a manner not further described.

[0005] DE 10 2005 016 350 A1 shows a harvesting header in which the pivoting movement of the side parts into the transport position is used to lock the harvesting header in the transport position against an otherwise possible pendulum movement about an axis extending in the forward direction. Task

[0006] When transporting harvesting attachments for corn harvesting by road, it is desirable to position the mulcher as close as possible to the harvesting attachment in order to minimize its vertical dimension perpendicular to the forward direction of travel in the case of mulchers mounted below pivoting side panels, and also its horizontal dimension perpendicular to the forward direction in the case of mulchers mounted below pivoting side panels. DE 10 2004 020 447 A1 describes this task but does not provide a concrete solution.

[0007] The object underlying the invention is to provide a harvesting attachment for maize harvesting in which the mulching device can be moved into a transport position using simple and inexpensive means. invention

[0008] The present invention is defined by the claims.

[0009] A harvesting header comprises a central section and two power-operated side sections that can be moved between a horizontal operating position and a raised transport position. Mulchers are mounted beneath the central section and the side sections to shred and / or shred the plant stumps remaining in the field after harvesting. During harvesting, these mulchers are vertically adjustable (e.g., by parallelogram guides or pivotally connected to the harvesting header at their front) and guided over the ground, for example, on skids or wheels. The mulchers are coupled to the side sections in such a way that, when the side sections are pivoted into the transport position, they move into a compact position close to the harvesting header.

[0010] In this way, the pivoting movement of the side sections between their horizontal operating position and their vertical transport position, achieved by one or more power-operated actuators, is also used to move the mulchers into a compact position for transport, pulled close to the harvesting header. Thus, only a few additional components are required to couple the mulchers to the pivoting movement.

[0011] The mulching devices are coupled to the adjacent side or middle section or the adjacent mulching device by flexible traction devices, which can be designed in the form of chains or ropes, for example.

[0012] The harvesting attachment is particularly suitable for harvesting corn and can be designed as a corn picker or mower attachment for harvesting entire corn plants. Example

[0013] An embodiment of the invention is explained with reference to the figures, whereby the reference numerals should not be used to limit the interpretation of the claims. They show: Fig. 1 a harvesting machine with a harvesting attachment for harvesting maize and a mulching device mounted underneath in a side view and in a schematic representation, Fig. 2 a top view of the harvesting head, Fig. 3 a front view of the harvesting header in the operating position, and Fig. 4 a front view of the harvesting header in the transport position.

[0014] The Fig. The self-propelled harvesting machine 10 shown in Figure 1, similar to a forage harvester, is mounted on a frame 12 supported by driven front wheels 14 and steerable rear wheels 16. The harvesting machine 10 is operated from a driver's cab 18, from which a harvesting attachment 20 is visible. During harvesting, material collected from the ground by the harvesting attachment 20, e.g., corn, grass, or the like, is fed to a chopper drum 22 by pre-compression rollers 30, 32 arranged in an intake housing 36. The chopper drum 22, in cooperation with a counter-blade 46, chops it into small pieces and feeds it to a post-accelerator 24. The blades of the chopper drum 22 can be sharpened by a grinding device 42 if necessary. The crop leaves the harvesting machine 10 to a trailer traveling alongside via a height-adjustable discharge spout 26 that can be rotated about its vertical axis.Between the chopping drum 22 and the conveying device 24 extends (when harvesting maize) a secondary shredding device with rollers 28, 28', through which the material to be conveyed is fed tangentially to the secondary accelerator 24.

[0015] Below the harvesting header 20 there are two side-by-side (cf. Fig. 3) three mulching devices 60 are arranged, each comprising a housing 66 in which a shaft 62 is mounted, which is arranged horizontally and transversely to the forward direction V and which can be set in rotation by a drive, either in the direction shown in the Fig. 1 or in the opposite direction thereto. The shaft 62 can be driven by an electric or hydraulic motor or a mechanical drive train from the harvesting machine 10. Hammers 64 or chopping knives are attached to the shaft and serve to chop and / or shred the plant stumps 74 that remain in the ground after the corn plants have been harvested with the harvesting header 20. The housing 66 is articulated at its front side on a horizontal axis 68 running transversely to the forward direction V on the underside of the harvesting header 20 so that it can pivot freely. The housing 66 is supported on the ground behind the axis 68 by skids 72, which can also be replaced or supplemented by wheels, and is thus guided vertically movable over the ground of the field (soil-copying).

[0016] The Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the harvesting header 20, which is suitable for harvesting entire corn plants. It comprises a central section 44 with a frame to which side sections 48 are pivoted about horizontal pivot axes 50 extending in the forward direction V. In the illustrated embodiment, the harvesting header 20 comprises a total of eight mowing and intake devices 52, which consist of lower cutting discs and conveyor discs arranged above them, which rotate about approximately vertical axes. The cut plants are transported transversely at the rear of the harvesting header 20 by transverse conveyor drums 52, and they are discharged into the intake housing 36 by discharge conveyor drums 56. Divider tips 58 are attached between adjacent mowing and intake devices 52 and at the outer ends of the harvesting header 20. Smaller divider tips 60 are arranged upstream of the mowing and intake devices 52.

[0017] As in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the side parts 48 are externally operated relative to the central part 44 by actuators (usually hydraulic cylinders) not shown between a horizontal operating position ( Fig. 3) and a raised transport position (by about 90°) ( Fig. 4) pivotable, in which the harvesting machine 10 can drive on a public road with the harvesting attachment 20 remaining at its front.

[0018] The pivot axes 50 are located at a certain height above the frames of the side parts 48 and the middle part 44, which results in the distance between the frames of the side parts 48 and the frame of the middle part 44 being increased in the transport position compared to the operating position, as shown in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 is clearly visible.

[0019] This change in distance is used to move the mulchers 60 from their freely height-adjustable position during harvesting to Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 into a compact position for transport, as shown in Fig. 4. For this purpose, adjacent mulching devices 60 are connected by flexible traction means 70 in the form of chains. When the side parts are folded up, the traction means 70 ensure Fig. 4 ensures that the mulching devices 60 are forcibly pulled against the central section 44 or the side sections 48. In doing so, they are forced to rotate about their axes 68 and, in the transport position, can preferably rest against flexible stops on the frames of the side sections 48 or the central section. This achieves a compact transport position of the entire harvesting header 20 and prevents the mulching devices 60 of the side sections 48 from freely pivoting back and forth about their axes 68 and becoming damaged in the process. The mulching device 60 of the central section 44 is also located at a sufficient height above the road.

[0020] It should be noted that various modifications are possible. For example, the number and / or dimensions of the mowing and intake devices 52 of the side sections 48 and the center section 44 may be larger or smaller than shown. The harvesting header 20 could also be designed as a corn header with picking rollers.

[0021] Furthermore, additional side parts could be attached to the outside of the side parts 48, which in turn are equipped with mulching devices, which in turn are connected to the adjacent mulching devices 60 of the side parts 48 by flexible traction means. The pivot angle of the side parts 48 does not have to be 90°, but could also be smaller or larger.

[0022] It would also be possible to connect the mulching device 60 of the middle section 44 directly to the frame or another part of the side section 48 by means of the flexible traction means instead of to the mulching device 60 of the side section 48, and to connect the mulching devices 60 of the side sections 48 analogously directly to the frame or another part of the middle section 44 by means of the flexible traction means 70.

[0023] To prevent the traction device 70 from moving in the operating position Fig. 3 sags downwards and drags on the field, it could be held at a sufficient height above the ground by means of supports (e.g. pipes through which the traction means 70 are guided).

[0024] Instead of the traction means 70, any other mechanical coupling could be used between the mulching devices 60 and / or the central part 44 and the side parts 48, e.g. by means of coupling rods or shafts.

[0025] It is not necessary to attach exactly one mulching device 60 to the side parts 48 and the middle part 44, as in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, but several mulching devices can be mounted there. In particular, each mowing and intake device 52 could be assigned a mulching device 60. The mulching devices 60 of the side sections 48 are then coupled to one another, while the mulching devices 60 of the central section 44 can be coupled to one another or only to the mulching devices 60 of the side sections 48 (or the side sections).

Claims

[1] Harvesting header (20) comprising a central section (44) and two externally operated side sections (48) movable between a horizontal operating position and a raised transport position, as well as mulching devices (60) attached below the central section (44) and the side sections (48) for shredding and / or shredding the plant stumps remaining in the field after harvesting, which are guided vertically above the ground during harvesting, wherein the mulching devices (60) are coupled to the side sections (48) in such a way that, when the side sections (48) are pivoted into the transport position, they come into a compact position drawn towards the harvesting header (20), for this purpose the mulching devices (60) are coupled to the respective adjacent side section (48) or central section (44) or the respective adjacent mulching device (60) by flexible traction elements (70). [2] Harvesting attachment (20) according to claim 1, wherein the side parts (48) are movable about pivot axes (50) arranged above the frames of the side parts (48) and the middle part (44) between the horizontal operating position and the raised transport position, such that the distance between the frames of the side parts (48) and the frame of the middle part (44) increases in the transport position compared to the operating position and this change in distance brings the mulching devices (60) into the compact position drawn up to the harvesting attachment (20) when the side parts (48) are pivoted into the transport position. [3] Harvesting attachment (20) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mulching devices (60) are pivotably mounted about an axis (68) on the side parts (48) and on the middle part (44) or are height-adjustable by parallelogram guides and are supported on the ground in the operating position by skids (72) or wheels in a ground-following manner, wherein the mulching devices (60) are pivoted about the axis (68) into the compact position by adjusting the side parts (48) into the transport position or the parallelogram guide is retracted into the compact position. [4] Harvesting header (20) according to one of claims 1 to 3, designed for harvesting maize. [5] Harvesting attachment (20) according to claim 4 in the form of a corn picker or mowing attachment for harvesting whole corn plants.

Images